Bamidbar 26: Count-ering Authority

Why is there yet another census in chapter 26? This census happens after the plague in chapter 25. After another mass death, God wants another census. There are a few unique features about this counting. This counting is done by families and there are four stories mixed within the names. These four stories are: Datan and Aviram who were swallowed up by the ground during Korach’s rebellion, Korach himself and the 250 leaders who were burned to death (although Korach’s sons survived), Er and Onan who died back in Bereishit, and Nadab and Avihu who died in Vayikra.Datan and Aviram are mentioned explicitly:“Datan and Abiram… who strove against Moses and against Aaron… and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them.”דָּתָן וַאֲבִירָם קְרִאֵי הָעֵדָה אֲשֶׁר הִצּוּ עַל־מֹשֶׁה וְעַל־אַהֲרֹן… וַתִּפְתַּח הָאָרֶץ אֶת־פִּיהָ וַתִּבְלַע אֹתָם(Numbers 26:9–10)Korach is mentioned with an important caveat:“But the sons of Korach did not die.”וּבְנֵי־קֹרַח לֹא־מֵתוּ(Numbers 26:11)Er and Onan are recalled earlier in the census:“Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan.”וַיָּמָת עֵר וְאוֹנָן בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן(Numbers 26:19)Nadav and Avihu are recalled at the end of the chapter:“Nadav and Avihu died when they offered foreign fire before ה׳.”וַיָּמָת נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּ בְּהַקְרִיבָם אֵשׁ זָרָה לִפְנֵי ה׳(Numbers 26:61)Why are these stories included? There were plenty of other deaths over the many years. Perhaps the answer comes at the end of the chapter:“Among these there was not one of those enrolled by Moses and Aaron the priest when they recorded the Israelites in the wilderness of Sinai. For ה׳ had said of them, ‘They shall die in the wilderness.’ Not one of them survived, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.”וּבָאֵלֶּה לֹא־הָיָה אִישׁ מִפְּקוּדֵי מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן אֲשֶׁר פָּקְדוּ אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּמִדְבַּר סִינָי׃כִּי־אָמַר ה׳ לָהֶם מוֹת יָמֻתוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר וְלֹא־נוֹתַר מֵהֶם אִישׁ כִּי אִם־כָּלֵב בֶּן־יְפֻנֶּה וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן־נוּן(Numbers 26:64–65)Each one of the stories listed is a lesson about questioning God’s authority and leadership. Datan, Aviram, Korach, and the 250 directly confronted Moshe and Aaron and questioned their authority. Nadav and Avihu decided to go against the commandment of Moshe and Aaron by bringing a foreign fire into the Mishkan. And Er and Onan refused to continue the leadership lineage of their father. Finally, the generation in the desert questioned God’s ability to bring them into Canaan.This chapter is the first count of just the individuals that will be able to enter the land. God promises that “the land, moreover, is to be apportioned by lot; and the allotment shall be made according to the listings of their ancestral tribes” (verse 55).אַךְ בְּגוֹרָל יֵחָלֵק אֶת־הָאָרֶץ לִשְׁמוֹת מַטּוֹת אֲבֹתָם יִנְחָלוּ(Numbers 26:55)But in order for the people to be ready to enter the land they must remember why their parents were not able to enter the land. God’s authority cannot be questioned. This is also why in the next chapter, God commands Moshe to appoint Joshua as the new leader. The older rebellious generations have died out, and now it is time for the new generations to accept God’s authority.